Lousy Hours Constant Peril
by StaticWarpBubble
Summary: What was Jonas thinking during his and Daniel's conversation in 7x02 Homecoming? "You're very—up," Daniel said, almost uncertainly. Jonas wasn't sure if Daniel saw through his cheery exterior or bought it. "Yeah," he said as he exhaled. Jonas tried to smile again, except this time it came off as more of a pained grimace and he winced at his own involuntary reaction.


"I couldn't remember what this was like," Daniel said. He sat down on a box and looked up at Jonas.

"It's fun, isn't it?" Jonas said. He glanced at the closed door, hoping it won't be crawling with Jaffa when they open it after the isotope wears off.

Since they found Daniel on that planet, his memory was like Swiss cheese—Jonas saw that phrase used on a sci-fi TV show and thought it described Daniel's situation perfectly. They didn't have time for Daniel to have another existential crisis right now. Getting off the ship alive was the priority.

He checked his weapon, made sure he was ready for the inevitable firefight. Daniel was looking at him, expecting Jonas to keep the conversation going. "Look, if we get out of this…"

Daniel waved Jonas' comment off. "Oh, you can keep the office."

"Actually, I was talking about SG-1." Jonas felt pang in his gut. He hadn't voiced this thought to anyone yet. He was comfortable with SG-1. He found a home, a family with the team. Giving that up was going to be painful.

"Ah." Daniel looked down, guilt written on his face. It's clear Daniel remembered the accident with the Naquadria bomb back on Langara and the painful death of radiation poisoning that followed. Daniel continued, speaking slightly faster than necessary which betrayed his nerves, "You took the position because you felt guilty about what happened to me and you thought you could make up for it by finishing my work and now that I'm back, you—"

"Don't get me wrong, I love the job," Jonas said. It was difficult to keep up his cheery façade with every passing second.

"Oh yeah, who could argue? I mean, lousy hours. Constant peril." At least Daniel had found his sarcastic sense of humour again, something Jonas tried to emulate sporadically after joining SG-1. It didn't always suit him.

"On the bright side, you get to travel a lot." Jonas smiled, more for his own benefit than for Daniel's. Daniel wasn't one hundred per cent better and Jonas needed to be the one to think clearly so they'd both get out of here alive.

Smiling helped masked the panic that was creeping up inside him. Smiling forced down the fears that kept him up at night.

"You're very—up," Daniel said, almost uncertainly. Jonas wasn't sure if Daniel saw through his cheery exterior or bought it.

"Yeah," he said as he exhaled. Jonas tried to smile again, except this time it came off as more of a pained grimace and he winced at his own involuntary reaction.

Daniel definitely noticed that, but stayed quiet.

It was hard to keep positive when his planet and his people could be exterminated or, at best, enslaved. Because of him. His actions would be the reason for Langara's downfall.

On the bright side, no one would remember it was his fault if they were all dead.

The conversation turned to Jack. Jack had always been prickly towards Jonas; he was surprised to find out he spoke highly of Jonas to Daniel.

If they got out of this alive, Jonas needed devote what energy he had left to Langara. He saw what the SGC could do for a planet and the inspiration it instilled. Jonas could guide his planet to follow in the footsteps of the people he looked up to most. They were behind Earth in technology, yes, but they were on the same path. Langara could achieve it, and Jonas would help. If he lived, of course. And if they didn't arrest him as a traitor.

He thought of the research he'd be able to do. They had boxes of Goa'uld artefacts to examine and—Of course!

"Rings?" Jonas said. They found a ring platform with the Stargate.

It was their ticket out of here. Jonas smiled again, this time genuinely.

His chance to make a difference.

* * *

All the dialogue is taken from 7x02: Homecoming. The other bits are mine.

This is the first fic I've written in about 8 years (and my first Stargate fic). Feels good to write again, but please go easy on me!


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